Float

I floated to the towers (main hospital) yesterday. It was a great new experience. I started out quite nervous, but the other nurses made me feel welcome, and once I got into the routine, it went well. Had two discharges, then had 3 patients for a while, and then like lightening the craziness started. We got six admits within about 2 hours. I felt bad for not getting the admission health profiles done, but the other two nurses didn't finish all of theirs either so that made me feel a little better. I loved the setup of the unit/pod. So many more computers! Thinking back on the experience, it feels like I was in a different world and a different hospital!

Coworkers

I truly enjoy working with my coworkers. Like Denise on nights. She was telling another nurse about the fantastic book she read, and had brought in a copy for that coworker. I was intrigued and asked her about it. She said she could bring in another copy, and I just for whatever reason that she had two copies. No. She believes in this book so much that she went out and bought me a copy! How awesome is that?! It's "The Power of Intention" and I will write again about it after I've read it. :)

I saw a favorite patient and her family down in the wound clinic the other day. We had heard she was down there and myself and a CNA went trotting down to say hi. We caught her waiting in the lobby, and it was just so great to see her. She gave us smiles and squeezed our hands. She is a wonderful person. Then I turned around and saw another favorite patient, who just happened to have been in the exact same room and bed but a month or two prior. She looked fantastic! It was a surprise and a pleasure seeing her as well!

Overtime

I can't decide if I want to work overtime tomorrow. I'm super tired, but could use the money, and I would have the same patients (not sure if that's completely a good thing) :) A known busy day is better than an unknown busy day? I don't really want to, but I'll still have 3 days off even if I work tomorrow. And Chris is out of town, so I would just be doing errands and spending time with the pets... argh.

So close to death

A coworker of mine is in the ICU, on life support, with no brain activity. :( She had been in the hospital for another issue and was about to be discharged when she had a heartache and several strokes (so I've been told). It's all very sad. I keep thinking about her, and being with her when she was alive... and now I can't comprehend that I will no longer experience that. I went to visit her in the ICU. I held her hand. I told her that we missed her. I told her I'd be thinking of her. In my heart, I knew she wasn't there but I still wanted to say those things aloud, to her, to the universe.

God bless you Pat!

:(

Just found out a coworker is in the hospital after having a heart attack... wish I could go visit, but I think she's in ICU. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.

Students

I've had the pleasure of working with students on two separate occasions. Luckily I got two very motivated and enthusiastic students. I heard a horror story from another RN about a lazy student with a bad attitude. That would not fly. I enjoy working with students because I normally kind of narrate things in my head, so this way I just get to say everything out loud. :) Plus I love explaining what I'm doing. And I always learn something when I'm with a student.

My advice for students:
*Don't be afraid to try.
*Don't ever think you know everything, and always being open to learning.
*You're going to make mistakes. Learn from it and move on.
*Try your very best everyday.
*Be kind. Be compassionate.

Extra shifts

Our unit has been understaffed lately, and I got called for an extra shift today... I thought about it, but really didn't want to. Then I realized I didn't have any insulin syringes left for my cat, and chose to stay home so I could go get more.

Had some really great patients last week. I was switched back to the 3rd floor after being on the 5th floor for a couple of weeks. Whenever I get switched to the other floor, I always wonder how my patients are doing on the previous floor. There was a rapid response so another nurse and I ran upstairs to see if they needed help. They didn't but we stayed around for a few minutes just in case. It was actually on a patient that I had the previous week so that was surprising. I stopped and talked to his wife, and boy was she scared. I would be too! He turned out to be okay, thank goodness. I was also able to stop and talk to a previous patient's husband for a few minutes - he's so nice! I actually ran into his daughter and grandson at Chick Fil-A a few days before so I wanted to relate that to him. :) They are just a supremely nice family of a very radiate patient. She had a stroke, and cannot say much, but you can tell that she is still in there understanding what's going on. She and her family are an inspiration.

It's also a bit sad when patients go home after being on the unit for a month or two (or three). It just doesn't feel the same without them there... but then you move on, and get more patients, and feel connected to them. :)